JOIN DEPT® AT SXSW SYDNEY 2025
We’re at capacity, but welcome you to register for the waiting list and we’ll be in touch if we can squeeze you in!
DEPT® is heading to SXSW Sydney and bringing the good vibes with us. From October 14 to 16, we’re taking over the Chinese Garden of Friendship for connection, conversation, and curated experiences.
Think daily panels that challenge the status quo, lunches designed for unexpected collisions, golden hour gatherings, and the return of the memorable cocktail party and DEPT® Friends dinner.
What to expect
Daily panels
From AI to impact to creativity, our lineup of speakers brings fresh perspectives and hot takes to the stage each day. Less conference room, more curiosity playground.
Garden lunches
Step away from the noise and join us for lunch in the garden. It’s the perfect setting for meaningful conversations, spontaneous meetups, and maybe a moment of zen.
Golden hour happy hour
When the panels wrap, the spritzes flow. Join us for an afternoon of drinks, music, and relaxed networking as the sun dips over the water
DEPT® Friends Dinner
An invite-only evening with our closest collaborators and new friends, curated to spark conversations that linger long after dessert.
The iconic cocktail party
Back and better than ever. Expect DJ sets, unexpected moments, and a crowd worth getting to know. This one fills up fast, so get on the list early to be considered.
All happening under the canopy of the Chinese Garden of Friendship, your SXSW retreat in the middle of it all.
OUR Program
Time
11:00 AM
Event
DEPT® Garden House Opens
Time
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Event
Welcome Drinks with DEPT®
Time
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Event
AI Is the Tool. Innovation Is the Work
Everything on how to move fast, stay real, and actually deliver. AI is transforming how we build, but it’s still people who make it matter. This discussion explores how to cut through the noise, align teams, and turn bold ideas into tangible outcomes.
Time
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Event
Canape Lunch & Drinks
Join us post-panel for a co-hosted lunch on creativity in the AI age. Real talk, bold ideas, and space to connect, no bots allowed.
Time
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Event
DEPT® Garden House Closed
Time
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Event
Shopify x DEPT® Happy Hour
Time
11:00 AM
Event
DEPT® Garden House Opens
Time
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Event
Welcome Drinks with DEPT®
Time
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Event
DEPT® x Adobe | Creativity, Redefined: Making human connection in an automated world
In a sea of sameness, creativity still wins—but the game is changing. Creatives aren’t just designing for people anymore—they’re designing for machines too. This panel dives into how brands and experience makers are embracing technology to take bigger creative risks, push the limits of imagination, and create stories that don’t just resonate emotionally, but also rank algorithmically.
Time
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Event
Canape Lunch & Drinks
After the panel, connect over lunch with fellow builders and doers. Co-hosts welcome, bring your brand, spark real conversations.
Time
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Event
DEPT® Garden House Closed
Time
6:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Event
DEPT® Client Dinner
Time
11:00 AM
Event
DEPT® Garden House Opens
Time
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Event
Welcome Drinks with DEPT®
Time
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Event
Building Sustainable Systems for People, Planet & Profit
Sustainability isn’t a side quest, it’s the strategy. Join leaders rethinking growth to align purpose with performance, and building systems that don’t just survive the future, they shape it.
Time
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Event
Canape Lunch & Drinks
Post-panel lunch on systems that serve people, planet, and profit. Looking for partners who care about impact, and good company.
Time
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Event
DEPT® Garden House Closed
Time
6:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Event
AWS x Klaviyo x DEPT® Garden House Cocktail Party
Meet the Speakers
MEET the Depsters
